Signing your deed poll
Deed poll witness requirements
GOV.UK says a person making their own unenrolled deed poll needs two witnesses, and both witnesses must be aged 18 or over.
Last reviewed against GOV.UK: 9 September 2026
The current rules for a DIY unenrolled deed poll
- You must be 16 or over to make your own unenrolled deed poll.
- You need 2 witnesses.
- Each witness must be 18 or over.
- The deed includes each witness's name, address and signature.
Close relatives and people at your address
GOV.UK does not say that every close relative or person at your address is automatically legally incapable of witnessing an unenrolled deed poll. It does warn that some organisations will not accept a deed poll where a witness lives at the same address or is a close relative. In practice, choosing independent adult witnesses who do not live with you reduces the chance of an organisation querying the document.
No extra nationality rule in the current DIY guidance
Older versions of this site stated that a witness had to be a British, Commonwealth or EU national resident in the UK. That is not a requirement stated on GOV.UK's current page for making your own unenrolled deed poll, so it has been removed from this guide.
Do not mix up unenrolled and enrolled deed poll rules
The High Court enrolment process has additional forms and eligibility requirements. Those requirements are not the same thing as the basic witness rules for a DIY unenrolled deed poll. If you are enrolling a deed poll, follow the current High Court forms and guidance instead.
Official UK Government sources
For authoritative, up-to-date rules we recommend the official UK government pages alongside this guide. The links below open on the gov.uk website or the relevant official body.
- Make your own unenrolled deed poll — GOV.UK
Official wording and witness requirements.
- Enrol a deed poll with the courts — GOV.UK
Separate rules for High Court enrolment.